St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-10-03
CAMPING OUT.
Real Camping and Camping That
is Only ake-Believe-The Diff
ference ArtisticaIIy Defined.

is Only Make-Relieve-T DIFF.
ference ArtisticaIIy Defined.
Forest and Stream.
Camping OUT is for the most part be-
coming merely name for moving out
OF ones permanent habitation and dwell
ing for few weeks in well built lodge,
smaller, perhaps, than ones home, butas
comfortable and almost as convenient;
with tables, chairs and crockery, carpets
and curtains, beds with sheets and
blankets on real bedSteadS, stove and
its full outfit of cooking utensils, where
from meals are served in the regular
ways OF civilization. And SO, living in
nearly the same fashion of his ordinary
life, except that he wears a flannel shirt
and SLOUGH hat, and perhaps fishes a
little and lOafS more than is his ordinary
custom, our camper" imagineS that
he is getting quite close to the primitive
ways Of hunters and trappers, that he
is living their life with nothing lacking
but the rough edges, which he has in
genlously smOOthed away. But he is
mistaken. In Kidding himself of some
OF Its dlscomfortS he has lost a great
deal OF the best of real camp life, the
spice of small adventure, and the
woodsy flavor that its haIf-hardships and
makeShift appliances give it. If one
sleeps little cold under his one blanket
on his bed of evergreen twigs, though
he does not take cold, he realizes in
some degree the discomfort of BOOne'S
blvouac when he cuddled beside his
hounds to keep from freezing-andfe feels
slightly heroic. His slumbers are sea
soned with dreams of the wild woods,
as the balsamic perfume of his couch
t1ais into his .noStrils: his compan-
ions shores invade :. his drowsy
senses as the growls of bears,
and the thunderOuS whir of grouse
bursting out of untrOdden thickets.
When ne awakes in the gray of early
morning he finds that the few hours of
sleep have wrought miracle of rest,
and he feels himself nearer to nature
when he washes his face in the brook
than when he rinees off his sleepiness in
bowl or basin. The water of springs is
colder and has finer flavor when he
drinks it from birch bark cup of his
own making. Tea made in a frying
pan has an aroma never known
to such poor mortals as brew their
tea In teapot, and no mill ever ground
such coffee as that which is tied up in a
rag and pounded with stone or Ratchet
head. A sharpened stick for fork
gives zest to the bit of pork ''frizzled"
vi 10 iuuc SplU duu pldtteT6u OH Il
clean chip or sheet of bark, and no fish
was, ever more tOothSome than when
Drolled ON gridiron improvised of
green Wands, or roasted Indian fashion,
in cleft stick.
What can make amends for the loss of
the camp fire, with innumerable pict-
ures glowing and shifting in its heart
and cOnjuring strange shapes out of the
surrounding gloom and suggesting I'M
seen mysteries that the circle of dark
ness holds behinditS rim?
How are the wells of conversation to
be thawed out by black stove, so that
tales of hunters and fishers craft and
adventure shall flow till the measure of
mans belief is overrun? How is the
cOngenial spark of true companionship
to be kindled when people brood around
a stove and light their pipes with
matches, and not with Goals snatched
out of the camp fires edge, or with
twigs that burn briefly with battling
flame?
Yet, let it be understood that make
believe camping is better than no camp
ing. 1t cannot but bring people into
more intimate relations with nature
than they would be if they stayed at
home, and so to better acquaintance
with and greater interest in the mother
who deals so impartially with all her
children.